Knockdown box.



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(A licati ooooooo t 2 ,ll/l" Jim 'i :JQ/f, I M8 im uw uw 411A www f1 HMI lr" Il 59 V I m nl ffm/n www mf? "Mm Nrrsn STATES FFICB PATENT JOHN SI'IELLENBERGER, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA, AND* CHARLES L. KING, OF HOLLAND, MICHIGAN.

KNOCKDOWN BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,690, dated March 6, 19O.

Application filed October 23,1899. Serial No. 734,422. @To model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that we,JoHNSHELLENBERGER, residing in Davenport, county of Scott, and State of Iowa, and CHARLES L. KING, residing in I-Iolland, county of Ottawa, and State of Michigan, citizens of theUnited States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Boxes; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable persons who are skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention has reference to boxes of the class known as knockdown7 boxes. It has more especial reference to that class of boxes that are used for containing small fruits. Heretofore boxes of this character have been produced of wood veneer; but tacks or staples have been necessary for the purpose of joining the various parts together. Tacks are unsatisfactory as a means for holding the parts, and in their use some skill and judgment is required on the part of the operator. IVhen wire staples are used, a machine for making and driving the staples is needed, and a supply of wire to be used for this purpose must be kept on hand.

The object of our invention is to construct a box wherein the means for fastening the parts together is made inherent in the pieces themselves, which is effected by the peculiar shape given to the parts.

There are several very important advantages that resultfron our manner of construction. For instance, the box may be more cheaply manufactured, it may be more easily and quickly put together, there are no accessory tools or materials necessary for this purpose, less skill is required to accomplish the act, and a more even regular product is produced.

In Figure l of the drawings, A is a blank of which the sides of the box are formed. Fig. 2 is ablank of which the bottom of the box is formed. Fig. 3 is a section through the center of an assembled box.

Referring to Fig. 1, the piece A is cut or stamped from a piece of thin material, such as wood veneer or the like. The dotted lines a are scores cut into the wood-that is, where the wood is partly cut in two. The object of the scores is to produce a determinate point where the wood will bend at an angle where this piece is formed into a four-sided box. A tongue a is adapted to pass through the slit a2, as shown in Fig. 3. The tongue a' is a littlewider at its base a3 a4 than the slit d2, and when once within the slit it cannot be pulled out without removing the bottom piece B. The slit a2 is cut back at an angle at each end, as shown at a5 a, to allow the tongue o. to slip through. The tongue cannot be made to slip through except when the box is distorted, and it cannot be withdrawn while the sides occupy the form of a square. Aslit a7 is cut through the blank A a short distance from its top. This slit is also cut back in two directions at both ends at an angle from the slit, whereby two lips are formed. Another slit as is cut into the blank, so as to be on the opposite side to the slit a7. In Fig. 3 the two lips of the respective slits are shown at a9 L10 all C012.

Fig. 2 is the plan view of a blank B, designed to form the bottom of our box. The dotted lines 1J 19 are scores similar to those described and shown at a. Tongues 17162 are formed by the angular slits 193 134 and 195 196. These slits preferably terminate in holes 197 19S 1991110, the object of which is to provide a certain and determined termination for the slits.

We have referred to the perforations as slits; but it is evident that slots would answer the purpose, and their use is in contemplation in our invention.

The stock for forming the boxes is cut out and prepared in the factory in the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the pieces A and B are piled in separate packages, one piece upon another, the material for a great number of boxes may be thus contained within a very small compass, and therefore the carrying cost is very small.

The stock described is shipped from the factory to the fruit-grower, and by the latter the pieces A and B are formed into a box, such as that shown in Fig. 3. The process of forming the box is as follows: The piece A is bent at the score-marks d, so that a right angie may be produced at each, and the tongue a is slipped into the slit d2. The projections a2 and a3 will readily enter the opening between IOO a5 and a, but cannot be pulled through the slot d2. lVhen the tongue is thus inserted, the box must necessarily be distorted, and when the bottom is placed within the rectangular structure it will maintain it in this position, so that the tongue cannot be withdrawn while the box is in this shape. The piece B is bent at the scores b into a U shape. It is then inserted into the body of the box A. The tongues b b2 are inserted into the slits al and d8, and thus the box is completed.

As shown, the box is formed complete of two pieces and joined and held together by means inherent in the said pieces.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- l. A knockdown box comprising a main body portion adapted to be readily formed into a quad rilateral iigu re, integral fastenin gs in the terminals of the main body portion adapted to engage with each other, a bottom portion adapted to be readily formed into three sides of a parallelogram, and fastenings made an integral part of the upturned side piece of the said bottom portion, and adapted to engage with fastenings of a similar nature made perforate near the top and within the main body portion, substantially as set forth.

2. A knockdown box comprising a blank, a tongue formed on one end of the said blank, a slit in the other end of the said blank with which the said tongue is adapted to engage, four scores across the said blank relativelyequal distances apart, a blank for the bottom of said box, two scores across said bottom blank, practically equal in distance apart to the width or length of the said box, fastenings in the ends of said bottom blank adapted to engage with fastenings of a similar nature made perforate near the top and in two opposite sides of the said box, substantially as set forth.

3. A knockdown box comprising a blank adapted to be readily formed into a quadrilateral figure, fastenings fashioned into the ends of the said blank and adapted to engage one with the other for holding said blank together, a blank for forming the bottom, adapted to be readily turned up at each end, fastenings made in said upturned portion, and fastenings made perforate near the top and in two opposite sides of the quadrilateral figure, into which the fastenings of the said bottom portion are adapted to engage, substantially as set forth.

4. A knockdown box, a blank equal in width to the height of the box, divisions in said blank, attenuant lines laterally across said blank adapted to weaken the structure between said divisions, inherent fastenings in the end of the said blank, adapted to engage one with the other, a bottom blank divided into three divisions, attenuant lines laterally across said blank to weaken lthe structure between said divisions, and inherent fastenings in the end of said blank, adapted to engage with similar fastenings made perforate near the top and made into the side of said box,- substantially as set forth.

5. A knockdown box comprising a blank adapted to be readily formed into a quadrilateral ligure, fastenings fashioned into the ends of the said blank and adapted to engage one with the other for holding said, blank together, a blank for forming the bottom adapted to be readily turned up at each end, a tongue -projecting laterally from the body' of the upturned extremities of said blank, and perfor-ations in two opposite sides of the said quad rilateral ligure, into which the said tongues of the said bottom portion are adapted to enter, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 16th day of October, 1899.

. JOHN SHELLENBERGER.

CHARLES L. KING.

lVitnesses:

ISAAC MARSILJE, MAUDE G. MARSILJE. 

